1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a network configuration restoration method and a system for restoring configurations of network devices to states before changing, more specifically, to a network configuration restoration method and a system which enable restoration in a short time.
2. Description of the Related Art
Systems in which a next-generation NW operation server which manages network configuration files (hereinafter, may be expressed as configuration files, simply) of network devices is installed on a network NW, and when a failure such as an operation mistake occurs, past configuration files are collectively readout from this next-generation NW operation server and reconfigured in each network device in order to back-up quick restoration are disclosed in Non-patent documents 1 and 2 and Patent document 1.Conventional restoration of network configuration files is executed according to the following steps.
Step 1: An operator performs operations (including configuration) of various network devices such as a router, switch, and server, etc., by using a client terminal. At this time, the NW operation server collects operation logs. In addition, the server saves and manages configuration files of all network devices when the operations are finished.
Step 2: When the operation contents include an error or the like, a warning or failure is notified.
Step 3: The operator operates the next-generation NW operation server via the client terminal to restore configuration files of all managed devices to past states (at an arbitrary time when the devices are normally operated). Accordingly, the network devices can be restored from the failure.
Step 4: After restoration from the failure, the operator analyzes operation logs that the next-generation NW operation server saves and manages, and identifies a cause of the failure.    [Non-patent document 1] Kiyohito Yoshihara et al., “Proposal of dependable network management system enabling quick restoration from operation mistake,” IEICE General Conference 2007 Collected Papers    [Non-patent document 2] Daisuke Arai et al., “Implementation of dependable network management system enabling quick restoration from operation mistake,” IEICE General Conference 2007 Collected Papers    [Patent document 1] Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-249299
The above-described conventional techniques have the following problems.    (1) It is necessary that configuration files are collected from all network devices as managed devices for every operation, and in the case of restoration, configuration files of all network devices are reconfigured, so that the time required for collection and restoration of configuration files increases according to an increase in the number of managed devices.    (2) When executing restoration by copying past configuration files, some network devices (for example, routers and switches made by Cisco) require restart of it after network configuration, and the time for this occupies most of the restoration.